watch and pray lest much blood be required at our hands we know it is a beame in the eye of the Church if wee bury and suppresse a Talent by not vsing it and it is likewise a leprosie in the face and forehead of the Church if we pollute and profane a Talent by abusing it for though we be Sonnes of thunder and be mistaken as was Barnabas for Iupiter yet if wee be but mistaken our loosenes of life will vtterly vndo our preaching as Iupiters adulteries euen among children doe altogether discredit his thundring To draw to concluson euery wise man among vs before hee suffer his eyes to slumber or his eye-lids to take any rest will make an Inuentory of Gods blessings whether they bee blessings generall or bleffings speciall blessings of nature or blessings of grace blessings that belong either to the soule or body or the outward estate as vnto some of vs in all these vnto all of vs in some of these much without question is giuen and then examine his owne heart vpon interrogatories how and to whose aduantage hee hath imployed them that hee may bewaile whatsoeuer is amisse and study to amend whatsoeuer he bewayleth When a Gentleman of Rome hauing concealed his broken estate died and his goods were set to open sale for his Creditors satisfaction Augustus himselfe sent to buy that bed for his owne vse wherein the man so farre in debt could possibly take his rest If we my Brethren who haue receiued much returned little knowing what God requireth and how deepe we are in his arrerages notwithstanding can find in our hearts to sleepe dead sleepe is is to be presumed we haue soft pillowes or is it not rather to bee feared we haue very hard hearts Otherwise me thinks the difficulty of our account at the last ineuitable Audit should awake vs for what shal we answer for the gaine and interest if we haue prodigally wasted and misspent the principall if our very receits were so great that we cannot reckon them how alas how shal we reckon for them But the terror if there bee any tendernesse left in our hearts the terror that shall vndoubtedly take hold of vs if wee be not good accountants must needs appale vs affright vs and astonish vs. Some of vs haue bin hedged about with outward blessings and increase of substance if we haue not vsed it or if we haue abused it the rich glutton in the Gospell may teach vs that though it breed security for a while our feare at the length will seaze vpon vs like fire on iron where though it be long kindling it hath more feruent and violent operation Many of vs haue enioyed strength of bodies if wee haue not vsed it to Gods glory the strongest shall be as tow if we haue abused it to intemperancy Woe vnto them that are mighty to drinke wine and to them that are strong to powre in strong drinke Esay 5. Most of vs haue knowledge but as knowledge doth raise and cleuate the soule so if it be not vsed or abused the fall must needs be greater from on high when the soule shall fall like an Anglell we then suffer the rust of our spirituall riches to be a crying witnesse against vs and can we endure that common exprobation to ring in our eares continually Surgunt indocti rapiunt caelum the vnlearned arise and take heauen by violence Neuer O neuer let our knowledge and learning be like Vriah his letters letters vnto vs of blood of death and of destruction only to condemne vs vnto Satan that last mercilesse Executioner with this deadly commendation Goe bind him hand and soote Egomet tabellas detuli vt vincâ—rer Did I my selfe bring letters that I might be bound The foolish seruant in the Comedy spake it with indignation Wherfore if there be in vs any wisdom of the Spirit and Christian ingenuity let vs feare and bee ashamed to make our own learning and knowledge our owne Mittimus to hell and to change and turne our talents by suppression or profanation of them into milstones about our necks to sinke vs downe into deeper condemnation I conclude all with that which may bee the summe of all that may be spoken the end of all Sermons and as one calleth it the voice of all creatures Accipe Redde Cane If it bee obscure I open it thus Accipe receiue in the name of God receiue the blessings Redde returne for the loue of God returne the duties Caue beware in the feare of God beware of the punishments O Lord as thou hast shewed vs much mercy both in giuing vs great blessings and forgiuing vs many sinnes and transgressions so let not our offences hinder the continuance of thy grace vnto vs but make vs more mindfull of our duties thankfull for thy benefits zealous for thy glory deuout in thy seruice confident in thy promises holy in our liues diligent in our vocations Heare O Lord c. A SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLS CROSSE ISAY 28.1 Woe to the Crowne of pride the drunkards of Ephraim for his glorious beauty shall be as a fading flower c. BEcause this argument is an argument of terror vttered in a ful sense without either preface â—ere or manifest dependaÌ„ce vpon the former Chapters suffer me Right Honorable to trie the beginnings of my strength in a plaine and vnaffected interpretation that the words prouing first no strangers themselues may find that interest in your Iudgements as to recommend the matter to the readiest entertainment of your best affections Woe to the crowne of pride Though woe be a particle of bad aboade importing a curse to them that are threatned yet some Grammarians call it an interâ—ection of sorrow Scholiasts reduce it to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifying to grone can hardly bee pronounced without some sucking of the breath some sighing accent and Translators haue rendred it sometimes Alas as well as woe Let it therefore seeme no riddle if as out of the strong there came sweetnesse the threatner who thus roareth in the sinners eares appeare anon gracious compassionate quique dolet quoties cogitur esse serox The Crowne of pride some slightly passse ouer as standing barely for power and authority for honor and maiesty for any kind of eminency but I dare not rashly despise their coniecture who suppose that the Prophet sends vs by way of allusion to the common custome of drinking bankers wherein men of elder time crowned themselues with garlands I might trouble you with many profane Poeticall authorities in imitation whereof Clemens Alexandrinus plaieth the Poet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But all authorities to this purpose are super fluous amongst them that euer lookt backe vpon antiquities one reason of this vsage was no doubt necessity to preuent paine and amazement because wine doth in a sume first giue the braine a blow that like a subtil wrastler it may
The wickednesse of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice for euer the next Chapter Vers 14. The Apostle 1. Iohn 5. termes this sinne a sinne vnto death meaning vnto death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with that fearefull addition I say not that a brother shall pray for it Of those it is said The Lord would slay them and if a man sinne as they sinned against the Lord Who shall intreate for him This generall Apostacie wherein a man and all that is in him totus fals from God and all that belongs to him à toto for a time beyond all times for all effects of sinfull perseuerance in totum shall neuer be forgiuen Matth. 12. The Schooles yeeld a reason of this vnpardonablenesse peraduenture though the speculation bee curious some may quickely conceiue it the defect is pardonable where the will may pretend feare of excesse A sinne of ignorance is pardoned as Pauls persecution was because a man may affect too much knowledge with Adam and a sinne of infirmitie as Peters deniall is pardoned because a man may affect too much power and soueraigntie with the Angels but a sinne of malice is vnpardonable because a man can neuer affect too much loue I remember Bernard vpon the Canticles hath a pleasing straine in proouing that there is nothing but loue wherein a man may contend with God himselfe But the plainest reason why this sinne is incurable is because it striues against the cure as a mad man wounded will not suffer his wounds to bee bound vp but fights with the Phisitian or Surgion To draw towards a conclusion The partition Wall is taken downe the Vaile of the Temple rent the Temple it selfe with all the discipline of the Temple is abolished Christians now are all Priests Apoc. 1. Witnesse their separation from the world they are a chosen generation witnesse their dedication vnto God They are saith Peter a royall Priesthood The very bridles of the Horses as we reade in the end of Zacharie haue vnder the new Testament the same inscription which was vpon the high Priests forehead Holinesse to the Lord. From the top of these high prerogatiues wee may fall if we doe fall more deeply and dangerously then euer did these sonnes of Eli these Priests of Israel yea Iulian and Latomus and Ecebolus and Franciscus Spiera and many hundreds more might wee send effectuall summons to the dead would quickly resolue vs that a man may proceed in sinne beyond all comfort in his owne conscience being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damned of his owne selfe Tit. 3 11. Beyond all interest in the Churches deuotion Thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift vp crie or prayer for them neyther intreat me for I will not heare thee Ieremie 7. Beyond all claime vnto Christs satisfaction it shall neuer bee forgiuen Matth. 12. Wherefore with humblenesse of spirit and trembling consideration of all tentations keepe your selues betimes and a farre off beloued from the terrour and amazement of this hopelesse inquirie Who shall make request for vs Whether you pronounce iudgement as Iudges or assist and learne iudgement as Iustices or debate and open iudgment as Lawyers or enquire as Iurors or depose as witnesses thinke that your soules best health and spirituall constitution consists in your integritie the least cracke therein a great Diuine cals solutionem continui The Apostle before him called it a shipwracke when this shipwracke is once made out runnes all loue of God So much euery man weighes so much euery man is worth as hee loueth God Amor meus pondus meum When this is once gone and wee bee brought to the balance no wonder if like Baltasar we be found too light no wonder though the weight of Reuerence and the weight of Authoritie depart from vs no wonder if hee who powres contempt vpon Princes make vs though wee were as great as Antiochus euen such as hee is called Dan. 12. a vile person Therefore as you loue your liues and loue your soules throughout all the transitorie temporarie momentanie course of this world euermore preserue the life of your liues and soule of your soules your integritie You haue now heard the speech of a Iudge and Priest of Israel opened by a Priest before Iudges of Israel if I haue failed in shewing the dutie of a Iudge God I hope and you will pardon mine vnfained desire to doe the duetie of a Priest and as you are receiued in the common opinion right Honourable I speake it for your future incouragement not for any flattering incroachment as you are receiued and renowned for great learning and patience so I pray God direct your learning where I haue beene defectiue to your owne soules instruction But for your patience let my freedome and boldnesse of speech this once so farre forth ingrosse it that there may bee none left in store for those offences against which I haue spoken and I haue spoken Most gracious God louing Father grant that thy holy Word may teach vs grant that thy holy Spirit may work thy word into vs grant that thy holy Son who sits at thy right hād may make intercession and assure vs of that intercession which hee makes for vs that wee may put a difference twixt sinne and sinne that wee may make a conscience of all sinne that we may preserue our integritie that we may neuer bee brought to this comfortlesse perplexitie Who shall intreate for vs A SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLS CROSSE ZACH. 5.4 I will bring it forth saith the Lord of Hostes and it shall enter into the house of the thiefe and into the house of him that falsely sweareth by my Name and it shall remaine in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber therof and stones thereof AMongst those diuers manners wherein God at sundry times spake by the Prophets of olde doctrine vocall predictions were vsually sealed either with ocular or spirituall representations And though wee might imagine Zachary who succeeded in the later times altogether vntaught by predecessours other Seers in Israel yet his owne personall experience could not choose but acquaint him with this liuely methode of Illumination For being as Iustin Martyr truely iudgeth transported in an extasie First he beheld a man riding on a redde Horse doubtlesse Christ himselfe readie prest and vp in armes for his Church then foure hornes foure belike of the Churches chiefest enemies next a man with aline in his hand a type of the Cities building after that a contention betweene our High Priest Iehosuah and Satan his and our maine aduersarie In the Chapter immediately precedent the riches of Gods Spirit vnder the similitude of a golden Candlesticke Thus as Argus his head in the Poet was full of eyes in the face and former part of this prophecie wee finde nothing almost but visions The last and neerest in affinitie to my present message is the semblance of a flying Booke not like the bookes wee reade bound vp
The answere must be No For hee gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and some Teachers Ephes 4. Then vnto these some that had receiued these gifts neerer to their end and therfore by consequence surpassing the rest much was giuen Neither hath there been onely granted vnto men a superiority aboue their brethren in an higher kind of different grace but in a greater measure also of the same grace Not to vrge Saint Paul who said of himselfe I thanke my God 1. Cor. 14.18 I speake Languages more then you all nor Moses commended where the book of Deuteronomy is concluded There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face which might be especially for his mighty hand and miracles in Egypt Nor Iohn Baptist who was a Prophet and more then a Prophet among them that were borne of women arose there not a greater then Iohn Baptist which was for his vicinity to Christ in whom all Gods promises and prophesies were Yea and Amen The Spirit was doubled on Elisha 2 King 2. if not in respect of his Master Eliah as many thinke not surely not for that reason because Eliah wrought but eight Elisha sixteene miracles as some are iustly censured by Peter Martyr for misreckoning yet in respect of the other Prophets ouer whom he was in his Masters place to succeed which the phrase noted by Iunius as borowed from the right of the first borne Deut. 21. may seeme to require still he had a double portion of Gods Spirit in comparison of others As Elisha was in that Colledge so in all likelihood was Samuel before in the Colledge of Naioth Dan. 1. 2. Sam. 19. In Nabuchadnezzers Schole the Inchanters and Astrologians were exceeding great Clerkes no doubt notwithstanding Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah were found ten times better then they and yet Daniels sleepe was wiser then his fellowes wâ—â—king This vnequall though most iust dispensation of much vnto some aboue others may bee seene in the deliuery of the Talents Matth. 25. by which are vnderstood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall graces if wee beleeue Theophylact. Should I but leade your attention aside but that I would not willingly misleade it in Histories wee could not escape examples of some who to their last time remembred so much that they could repeate whole Orations of others who in their youth time learned so much that they could haue discussed very many questions of others that in their life time wrote so much that they could with their owne books haue furnished and filled whole Libraries Last of all of as many rare and excellent gifts of grace as there haue been strange and heroicall properties in men But what need these especially in this place where seuerall faculties and professions seuerall degrees and proceedings seueral graces which men giue vnto men haue been and I hope shall be of degrees and proceedings in the grace of God no lying testimonials Certainely how 's oeuer mans choice and mans iudgement and mans measure may faile for these outward graces this truth for the inward grace can neuer faile Vnto euery one of vs is grace giuen according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4. Heere doe I trust there is no conceit so by blindnesse emboldened as to charge the Iudge of all the world for this vneuen diuision of graces with acception of persons and partialitie For it is well enough knowne that the swaruing and declination from the rule of equitie which we call acception of persons is the respecting of some outward circumstance and adherent qualitie to the person practised only in such distributions as are ex debito but in God there is no respect of the face as some translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts. 10. Neither is he in any mans debt wherefore al misconstructions of his eternal Iustice in this behalfe may receiue a full satisfaction in that one demand Matth. 20.15 comprizing an eternall Truth Is it not lawfull to doe what I will with mine owne But whereas a greater measure of grace must needs issue from a greater loue how can his affection which is his nature for God is loue possibly be intended or made to bee more loue This intention is not as the Schoole-men answer ex parte affectus for with one simple act of his will he loueth all but ex parte voliti hee is therefore said to loue one more then another because the good hee willeth to one is greater then the good hee willeth to another If any aske farther why he willeth a greater good to one then another besides his wil the highest rule of all things à priori there can be no reason There may be some thought vpon à posteriore for had God communicated his graces alike man in his corrupt imagination might haue thought hee did whatsoeuer hee did by necessity of nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like the fire which burnes heere and in Persia alike But God willeth nothing besides himselfe and his owne goodnesse and glorie necessarily in all things else without himselfe he is an agent altogether voluntarie His Spirit is most free as in the worke of regeneration like the wind blowing where it lusteth Iohn 3. so in the gifts of illumination distributing as he pleaseth This beside we may conceiue to be done according to the priuat capacity of the receiuers for the publike good of his Church by the capacitie of the receiuer I meane no strength of free-will or naturall preparation as if grace were so beholding to nature as some Philosophers teach the soule is to the good disposition of the body in her first determinate being in the body but I meane Gods owne worke as well seene in the opening as in the filling of his seruants soules for hee that gaue Salomon wisedome 1. King 4. gaue him likewise a large heart to receiue it and he enlargeth mens hearts as he purposeth to imploy them secundum quod expedit as farre forth as is expedient as Ierome speaketh Ephes 4. And as Ambrose saith of prophecy quantum causa erigit propter quam datur Rom. 12. as much as the cause requireth for which it is giuen The end is the publike good of the Church which is either the good of order or the good of ornament or the good of charity In eminent gifts there is diuersitie for ornament in diuers gifts there is preeminence for the order of the Church both diuersitie and preeminence for the maintenance of charitie as is plaine in the Apostles illustration from diuers members of the body a common but as euen Menenius Agrippa in Liuie may teach vs a most feeling similitude for one member would not loue another if one did not helpe another one should not helpe another if one did not need another one should not need another if one had not somewhat aboue another wherefore God hath diuided his blessings in that
reuerence begge of such that in arbitrary censures concerning voluntary iurisdictiō they would consider and beware of peremptory rashnes which at S. Ambrose his motion caused Theodosius his decree in the Code that there should be 30. daies respit betweene his sentence and execution but I turne my selfe willingly vnto you that are Iudges at home Masters of your owne families beseeching you by these mercies of God as you haue found the patience of a Master in heauen when in conscience you did not goe at his sending come at his calling nor do your duties at his cōmand among your couenant seruants rather spare where in equity you might haue punished then punish where with a little clemency you might haue spared walke before them in such innocent conuersation your selues that they may despaire of pardon for their offences and yet so pardon theirs as if your selues did offend continually They are your Apprentices that is Scholers vse them like Scholers giue faire meanes alwaies the preeminencie multiplie direction vpon direction instruction after instruction now a warning and then a threatning discharge not your whole authority like a peece of Ordinance which bruseth crusheth and breaketh into peeces or cuer it reporteth when words will not serue yet let not blowes come without weeping eies yerning bowels and melting hearts Qui fruitur poenâ ferus est leguinque videtur Vindictam praestare sibi Passion and precipitation may make mentall murder of a iust correction Betherefore mercifull as your heauenly Father is merciful vsing your power all that haue power for edification not for destruction for Saint Iames hath spoken it James 2.13 and the day of Iesus Christ shall make it true There shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy and mercy reioyceth against iudgement This viall of wrath hanging ouer the crowne of pride doth more euidently demonstrate their misery that are threatned for God which giueth his Husbandman discretion as you may reade in the end of this Chapter to beate out Fetches with a staffe not with a threshing instrument and Cummin with a rod not with a cart-wheele much more himselfe fitteth his menaces to the merits of his people neuer thundering out a woe vpon them whose present estate is not already wofull The punishment is added I confesse as a reason not for that it should giue the being but because it should work the feeling of their misery then euen then before Samaria was takē whilest the Prophet cried from the time they begā to be sinful they began to be miserable Take away sins my brethren outward things haue lost their stings punishments are no punishments but gentle corrections plagues no plagues but gracious visitations deaths no deaths but blessed changes and in a good cause glorious martyrdomes Omnis paena peccatipoenaest All punishment is the punishment of sin Admit againe of sinnes you must needs admit of calamities calamities vpon your persons If I haue done wickedly woe vnto mee Iob 10. Calamities vpon the Church Woe now vnto vs that we haue sinned Lament 5.10 Calamities vpon the Common-wealth for sinne is a shame vnto the people some reade it the peoples misery Prou. 14. One part of mans vnhappines consisteth in a woe priuatiue the want of Gods gracious coūtenance so is it said of Ephraim Of. 9.72 Woe to them when I depart from them which is strait vpon mans departure from him plainly to be seene in the 59. of this Prophecy Esay 59.2 Your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Reprobates and castawaies ordained to condemnation like Owles that cannot see till night come seldome perceiue this woe before they depart into that vtter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth only the children of light are mightily distressed in this life by spirituall desertions and Ecclipses of grace when their body hath been for a time interposed betwixt their soules and the Lord of life Therefore as Archimedes that peerelesse Mathematician after his braines had been hammering about a difficult conclusion leaped and daunced and cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue found it I haue found it The children of God when hunger hath been their best sauce and want of feeling hath increased their feeling after recouery spring and exult reioycing and singing with ioy vnspeakable and glorious Hee is come hee is come our soules haue found him whom our soules doe loue The second part of mans vnhappinesse is a woe positiue a captiuitie which far surpasseth the captiuity foretold in this place Isai 5.18 Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sinne as with cart-ropes Salomon giueth the reason Prou. 5. His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall bee holden with the cords of his owne sinne God helpe the man thus held thus entangled this is a case wherein a King may be pitied by a Galley-slaue Miserabilis seruitus a miserable bondage saith Aug. tract 14. vpon Iohn for other seruants haue their remedies but what shall the seruant of sinne doe whither shall hee flie or how can he change his Master Se trahit quocunque fugit He drawes himselfe along whither soeuer he flieth Not to mention them whose naturall hardnesse of heart is confirmed in euill by voluntary customes so that their seared consciences being past feeling can as easily dispense with the hardest offences as an Ostriges stomake can digest the hardest Iron Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum What more miserable then that miserable man which hath no commiseration vpon himself Many men now adaies apprehend a Woe but when when their counsels of pride and couetousnes be crost and their hands haue not power to practise by day that wickednesse which their heads haue imagined by night like Ahab and Haman they mourne for their parts in their closets as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the vally of Megiddon and will not bee comforted because they iudge it a death that they cannot bee suffered to die a hell that the gates of hell are shut against them whereas euery such arrest should aduise them to cast vp their arrerages and when the Lord staies their iourneies as hee staied Sauls and Balaams it should concerne them to grow iealous of those enterprises wherein they meet so strange impediments whether their abilities be hindred by the shortning of their owne armes or the strengthening of others or their wills hindred by reasons drawne from dishonesty disprofit or impossibility whether their religion hath been hindred by the feare of God or their infirmity by the spirit of God or their ignorance by the word of God for so manifold and more manifold is Gods wisedome in hindring the sinnes of men howsoeuer whensoeuer against whomsoeuer the Lord hath stopt their wayes or made an hedge about them downe they should fall vpon their knees in secret and lifting vp their hearts imitat the ground of S.
seruant deserues who steales himselfe like Onesimus from his Master what will hee say but The whipping post or the house of correction What doth hee then deserue who changeth his God for them that are no gods There must be no whipping post for such a Renegado no house of correction for a Recusant Aske againe the Patrone of a Benefice what shal be done to him that embezels his neighbours goods Hanging he cries were too good for Felons What then shal bee done to him that robbes his God Mal. 3. in Tithes and Offrings Here he can see no Felonie This is a simple theft they call it Sacriledge Aske any man toucht in his good name whither he will send his reuiler He presently curses as if he meant to send him to hell Be it true or be it false Veritas conuitij non excusat conuitium The truth of the matter excuses not the guilt of the staunder hee therefore sweares no meane oathes hee will send him to the Consistorie Whither then shall hee goe who dishonours Gods Name That beares no action cursing and swearing inferres not any defamation Thus as in a throng it comes to passe that a man of lowest stature who kept least adoe is lifted vp aboue the shoulders of the taller made a laughing stocke So in the course of this world where sinnes of all sorts are pell mell confounded the least are many times exposed to most shame and censure A poore Sea-Captaine brought before great Alexander for Piracie confessed his fault and said Indeed I am a Pirat because I preyed vpon some poore Fishermen in a Cock-boate But if I had scowred the Seas as thou haft done and robd all the world with a Nauie and an Armie I had beene no Pirat I had beene an Emperour I wonder any wittie malefactor while hee is punished for pettie larcenie can escape application of this Historie Me thinkes hee should grant his fingers were to blame for a few trifling points of pidling theeueriâ— But if hee had robd the bowels of Gods people by giuing many Childrens bread in a deare yeare vnto dogges if hee had spoiled the Church of her right by Simonie God himselfe of his honour by blaspheming of his seruice by Sabbath-breaking he might haue beene some Iustice of Peace or some great landlord The cause of all that truth may be confessed and dissimulation confuted is we haue peruetted the degrees of all good duties we be louers of our sâ—lues more then louers of God we care not for God so much as we care for men which conclusion in carnest I haue heard vnhappily brought about out of iesting premises A seruant conuicted for misdemeanours before a Magistrate besought some fauour for his Masters sake Why Whom do you serue askt the Magistrate I serue God said the seruant With that his Mittimus was dispatcht the sooner for scoffing at authoritie Not long after a great Lord sends for enlargement of this his seruant and the Magistrate in all haste sent for the Prisoner of whom he demaunded in a rough and chiding accent why hee told him not that hee serued such a Lord The seruant answered Because I thought you cared more for the Lord of Heauen Some may smile peraduenture at the relation as too fabulous for this place Haec tamen vt res est ficta ita facta alia est I would to God too much matter of Fact in the World agreed not with this fiction But they who haue the soundest warrant not to respect the persons or feare the faces of men can no more withstand the arme of flesh in humane and worldly motiues then Israel the men of Ai while God forsooke them It is therefore high time for all true-hearted Ioshuaes to rent their cloathes fall downe and water the dust with teares and blubbering prayers Oh Lord what shall we say when Israel turne their backs When Elias who should call for fire from Heauen loses one sillable of his name turnes Eli and besprinkles his sonnes with such cold water It is not well and I heare no good report doe so no more when Samuel who should hew Agag in peeces relents with Saul sparing the fattest for a sacrifice O Lord what shall wee say when Magistrate and Minister the Israel of Israel turne their backs This we say Wee hope for aide from you right Honourable right Worshipfull whom God hath made Custodes vtriusque Tabulae Commissioners to enquire Iustices of Oier and Terminer to determine of offences belonging vnto both Tables as farre as they may be discouered And can you want in this case discouerie There are shops and houses and Tauernes euery where which professe their entertainment Aequa ibi libertas The Gamester and the Drunkard and the Whoremonger and among the rest which is most lamentable some crackt piece of broken Magistracie meete there and are reconciled with Haile fellow well met vpon equall termes in cursing swearing and blaspheming against the Lord. Now for the care of this Kingdome and Common-wealth cause these cursed Associations to be dissolued for the zeale of Gods House appoint these Dagons to bee defaced which out-braue the Arke of GOD For the loue of the Inhabitants command the signes to bee pulled downe before vengeance importuned by sinne pull downe their habitations or if they stand before the simpler sort of Gods Saints vexed with their profane resorts beginne to mutter in Cyprians words 2. Epist 2. Consensere iura peccatis cepit esse licitum quod publicum erat The Lawes consent vnto sinne and that beginnes to bee lawfull which was before common and customarie Not to perplex your attention with diuers interpretations following vpon the diuers both significations of a Noune and Coniugation of a Verbe in Hebrew nor yet to enlarge mine owne ground by resolution of iudgement into seuerall acts of iudiciarie proceeding from the summons to the sentence all which Lawyers deduce from Gods owne example in the first sinners conuiction but briefely to prosecute the different successe of sinne against a man and sinne against the Lord of the one it is heere pronounced The Iudge shall iudge it There can bee no societies amongst men without hope of indifferencie no hope of indifferencie where one man sinnes against an other without some satisfaction satisfaction may be sought many waies no way enforced but by iudgement To make a Iudge two conditions must concurre at the least the one outward Warrant or Commission the other inward inablement or sufficiencie For the former iudgement is not euery mans worke I confesse extraordinarie designes of Iustice the Scripture mentioneth Such as was that of Iael and Phineas without specification of warrant they had no doubt the substance of authoritie from priuate reuelation though they wanted the solemnities of authoritie from publike deputation The widdow in the Parable Luke 18. tooke the direct course in comming to the Iudge and saying Auenge me of mine aduersarie When they haue a matter saith Moses they come vnto me